Xbox First Party Games Could Release on PS4 and Other Consoles, Phil Spencer Says

Microsoft in September promoted Xbox chief Phil Spencer to executive vice president, reporting directly to Chief Executive Satya Nadella rather than Windows chief Terry Myerson.

In an interview, Mr. Spencer said his new role is designed, in part, to give him more latitude to reach gamers on any device, rather than using “gaming to make Windows more successful.”

That means, one day, more Microsoft first-party games could appear on other platforms, he said, such as Apple Inc.’s iPhones or perhaps even Sony Corp.’s PlayStation 4, as its building game “Minecraft” does.

Mr. Spencer acknowledged console sales are important, but said Microsoft is more focused on growing game software and services. He said the company measures the success of its gaming business by revealing the number of people who use its online service Xbox Live, for example.

https://www.wsj.com/articles/microsoft-hopes-for-videogame-turnaround-with-xbox-one-x-1509976801

I am not a fan of Microsoft essentially making the Xbox entirely redundant (like, if this happened, what would even be the point of the console at all?), but on the other hand, I don't own an Xbox, and don't feel like buying it for the handful of games that do interest me, so... sure, go ahead. Put them on PS4 or Switch. I guess that ties in with the platform agnostic/services oriented strategy the company as a whole has been following for a while.

In other words, we're gonna be a 3rd party game developers and stop selling hardware because we have no clue what we're doing

I'm shocked! Shocked, I say!

Maybe X1X will be my last Xbox. No biggie. Change is the only constant in the universe.

My goodness, thank you based MS, you truly are for All gamers... Jazz. :P

Any news of later games coming to PC as well ? as Crackdown 3, Sea of Thieves ETC?

@indzman: I mean, all MS games already are coming to PC, so that shouldn't be a consideration

Ahhh!

You got your X1X? Or skipped it?

It is somewhat obvious that X-box is moving to PC mainly, so why not?

Nah, spending $600, plus tax (in Ontario, so the tax is like another $60) on a system where I'd want to play a couple of games at most seemed to me to be a singularly stupid idea. I'm happy with my Switch+PS4 combo.

Makes perfect sense to me. There are some PC gamers who don't ever intend on buying any console. But they can buy MS games. There are some Xbox gamers that just have no interest in Playstation or building a PC and they can buy a Xbox and MS games. Their are Playstation gamers that will never buy a Xbox and have no interest in PC, but would like to play some MS games and will be able to. There are some gamers who just want to play on the console or PC of their choice and want MS games. There are gamers who only want to play only whatever is the most powerful at the moment. MS got you covered too.

Its a brilliant long-term strategy. You're going to need Live. Outside of that its money from every direction for MS. It won't hurt Xbox sales cause people who like Xbox will continue to buy it just like it is right now. Only this strategy opens up the door for any gamer that wants a MS game wherever they play and MS doesn't give a shit. This will ensure Xbox never sees the console leader status. Not ever. But obviously they don't give a shit as they will have revenue streams all over the place someday. Smart, bold move MS. Now just work on more first-party games and studios.

No future plan for PC upgrade also? :)

And everyone thought it was Nintendo that would go third party...

Must be someone at MS doing this right now:

That's interesting. I wonder if Microsoft will continue to produce consoles if their titles go multiplatform; sort of making access to games more inclusive but offering different products on the hardware side. It's idealistically quite an optimistic way of looking at games.

I worry if this industry is too cemented in the idea of exclusivity that the Xbox brand of hardware will no longer be enticing if it is not offering a unique experience from a games perspective.

In all seriousness, this is originally what MS set out to do with the Xbox. If you look at the history of the Xbox, you'll find that Bill Gates only allowed it to happen as long as whatever tech came from it would be brought over to PC. It seems like they finally got there with Universal Windows Platform and they don't need the Xbox as the center of their gaming division.

MS wants Live to be the next Steam, too bad that's never going to happen.

None

I'm sure they'll try, but that idea didn't work too well for Windows Phone.

I agree with Phil and he is moving Xbox in the right direction.

One less reason to buy an Xbox, which brings the total to ZERO!

I somehow doubt we'll see a mass-migration of every first-party Xbox game to competing consoles. They're looking to expand the market, which makes sense, but I feel the console competitors won't get their heavy-hitting first-party games.

This is a pretty cool move, especially if we're talking MS published games being available to wider audiences.

@charizard1605: It would definitely be more progressive and inclusive way of looking at the industry but unless other companies like Sony and Nintendo follow suit, the Xbox hardware will simply look like it's offering less in terms of software. :/

The question is, can an Xbox console be tempting enough by itself to engage consumers without any exclusive software.

I mean, at that point, unless you really like the integrated package of Xbox hardware+games+OS+controller+services in one place, not really is what I would say.

^^ This

This is a strange thing to come out the day before the launch of a new $500 product

I'm calling it out now: MS will leave console hardware and will make the few worthwhile IPs they have multiplatform for maximum profit

I can already hear lems's tears falling off from their eyes :P

Perhaps MS will offer their MonsterBox to Sony and Nintendo so they don't need to make HW anymore?

The One Universal MonsterBox to rule them all is finally, finally close at hand. . lol :P

@charizard1605: I think that's the main selling point right now; the operating system and the use of Windows 10. That integration with other Windows products is one thing to consider, and I think Microsoft are aware of that. Cross play and cross buy. The Xbox One X also has the power advantage over other consoles on the market right now. However, hypothetically if Microsoft were to publish their games on PS4, you would be choosing hardware over software.

I don't know if Xbox would be different enough to stick around if Forza and Halo were appearing on PS4.

@FireEmblem_Man: oh they absolutely know what they're doing. They are making pre emptive moves in a changing market. This way, they will have an edge when services replace hardware as the top money maker.

It's a nice move, I would love every game being on every system. It does however make the xOne a bit useless next to a system which is pretty much the same but has exclusives and Pcs that do everything better.

The death of exclusives is a win to gamers. Only fanboys think exclusives are good for gaming.

Sony firing on all cylinders and blowing out Xbox must be really demoralizing for Microsoft. First Sega and now Sony is smashing Xbox.

Or it can be the right direction for the industry as a whole.

Now if only Sony and Nintendo would follow, could stop buying those plastic boxes, but sadly that's not happening

@Pedro: @ArchoNils2: If other companies follow suit, we are looking at a more inclusive future for gaming, and that will be on Microsoft for making that move. :)

@Pedro: Oh god this nonsense again.

@charizard1605: So that's their plan then.

Invest in first party games, which will perhaps be exclusive to this generation of Xbox in order to try to at least drive more sales until next gen.

Next gen, all first party games will be multi-platform, and available on whatever streaming service Microsoft launches, with the eventual plan to phase out physical hardware. Maybe just PC release + streaming service.

I'm surprised MS hasn't gone this direction sooner with all of their Azure experience.

As long as home consoles continue to be profitable, they are here to stay. What technology can undermine home consoles?

Yep, its nonsense for games to be available to all gamers.

Sea of Thieves on PS4 would be a good start. Day one for me :D

Has anyone read the article?

No thats not whats happening. Whats actually happening is they are turning Xbox basically into a branded Windows media device.
Xbox will be like the Steambox Valve couldnt make work. Thats been the plan all along.

When it basically has PC specs, why limit it to being only a console when they have an OS and could sell it like a media center pc?

I doubt this is their last device. Not with the success they've had with the Surface line. Xbox will be the entertainment media center version of that.

@Zero_epyon said:

Must be someone at MS doing this right now:

LOL, wow!

http://www.pushsquare.com/news/2017/11/microsoft_may_bring_first-party_franchises_to_playstation_in_the_future

Hmmm, I guess the Xbox division turning into a streaming service is inevitable... just like Playstation will eventually. But can't see it happening anytime soon though. Consoles are still selling too well.

And I can't see Halo 6 or Forza 8 coming to PS4 or Switch anytime soon either.

this is what happens when someone's been taking too much ownage all gen...

LOL you need games to bring over in the first place.

I can't wait for all the invisible Xbox exclusives coming to PS4.

Curious on more information surrounding this I can easily see most games being released on PC as well in future

LOL, the beating MS has been taking has truly demoralized them.

I won't be surprised if XboneX is their last console. What will lems do after Xbox goes extinct?

Let's start with 1st party games on your own console first. Baby steps.